Celebrating Women: International Women’s Day 2026
I was not rebelling against my roots; I was reclaiming my right to define who I could be.
- Brenda Senewa Korian, Maasai Safari Guide, Kenya
Brenda Senewa Korian ©kathykarn
Every day on safari is an adventure into the unknown. Often when we return to camp a staff person asks, “How was your drive? Did you see anything special? After our first afternoon game drive at Emboo Camp in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, I responded to the question with an enthusiastic “Yes! I met Brenda, an empowered Maasai woman!”
Safari guide Brenda Senewa Korian, driving a converted electric Toyota Land Cruiser ©kathykarn
Sunday, March 8th is International Women’s Day; the theme this year is Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. Brenda Senewa Korian, a safari guide in Kenya, is a champion fighting for rights, justice and education for girls in her Maasai community. She is a change maker. She is unstoppable. Here’s her story in her words.
Photo credit Brenda Senewa Korian
MY JOURNEY AS A MAASAI GIRL TO AN EMPOWERED MAASAI WOMAN.
Journey of courage and bravery
I was born in the heart of Maasailand, where tradition runs deep and culture shapes every part of life. As a young Maasai girl, my world was full of color, rhythm, and community. I grew up surrounded by elders who passed down wisdom through stories, by women who moved with quiet strength, and by customs that dictated the roles of girls and boys from an early age. I was taught to be respectful, humble, and obedient—to prepare for marriage and family, to know my place in a society where men are often seen as the decision-makers.
But even as a child, I felt something stirring inside me—something that didn’t quite fit within the expectations placed on me. I had questions that couldn’t be answered by silence, and dreams that didn’t align with the path laid out for me. I loved my culture deeply, but I also longed for something more—something different.
When I began my education, a new world opened up to me. I discovered the power of learning, the strength of my own voice, and the possibility of living life on my own terms. Yet pursuing education as a Maasai girl was not a simple journey. It meant challenging traditions that many around me held sacred. It meant facing resistance, criticism, and sometimes isolation. I had to make difficult choices—some that meant walking away from cultural practices that didn’t allow me to grow. I was not rebelling against my roots; I was reclaiming my right to define who I could be.
My journey from the village to classrooms, from silence to self-expression, has shaped me into the woman I am today. I am empowered not because I abandoned my culture, but because I chose to engage with it critically. I honor the beauty of being Maasai—the strength, the resilience, the deep sense of identity. But I also stand firm in saying no to the parts that limit, silence, or harm.
Today, I speak not just for myself, but for every young Maasai girl who feels caught between honoring her heritage and chasing her dreams. I want her to know that both are possible. I want her to know that her voice matters. I am proud to be a Maasai woman—not defined by tradition but shaped by it and strengthened through my own choices.
Follow Brenda on Linked In.
Brenda Senewa Korian ©kathykarn
In honor of Women’s Month Daughters for Earth is launching a special four-part series podcast including another remarkable Kenyan woman, wildlife conservationist Shivani Bhalla, founder of Ewaso Lions.
In honor of Women’s Month, we are happy to launch a very special four-part series, The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women, a podcast from Foreign Policy, brought to you this season by Daughters for Earth.
The series explores stories of leadership, perseverance, and the women striving to transform entrenched patriarchal power structures.
Conversations include women environmental leaders and those at the forefront of planetary health solutions. You will hear from pioneers such as Christiana Figueres, founder of Global Optimism and chief negotiator of the Paris Climate Agreement, and wildlife conservationist Shivani Bhalla, founder of Ewaso Lions.
Across four episodes, you’ll discover how investing in women drives environmental, economic, and social transformation, rooted in community and reciprocity.
“The most successful approaches are the ones that come from the bottom up – from the people most closely bonded to their landscape.”
— Jody Allen, philanthropist, businesswoman, and co-founder of Daughters for Earth
In a time when headlines feel heavy and the future uncertain, we can find hope in new approaches with the women who are redefining leadership and cultivating islands of coherence – in a place where communities are addressing planetary health in regenerative ways that sustain both humanity and the natural world.
Listen Beginning March 4:
Or find it on any podcast platform.
Here’s How You Can Help
1. Listen.
2. Share the link on your social channels.
3. Grab and share the image above with your authentic take on why this matters.
And please tag us at:
Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
You can help spread hope, which leads to action, more hope, and ultimately change. We need your voice!
Let’s make sure these voices are heard. Everywhere.
— Zainab and the Daughters for Earth Team
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